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2003-04 Serie A
Andriy Shevchenko (24) | biggest_home_win = Internazionale 6-0 Reggina (22 November 2003) Roma 6-0 Siena (22 February 2004) | biggest_away_win = Bologna 0-4 Roma (23 November 2003) | highest_scoring = Brescia 4-4 Reggina (21 September 2003) | prev_season = 2002–03 | next_season = 2004–05 }} The 2003-2004 season in Italian Serie A football contained 18 teams for the 16th and last time from the 1988-89 season. With the bottom three being relegated, the 15th placed side would face the 6th highest team from Serie B, with the winner playing in the Serie A in 2004-2005. As usual, the top two teams would progress directly to the UEFA Champions League group stage, while 3rd and 4th place would have to begin in the 3rd qualifying round. The UEFA Cup places would be awarded to 5th and 6th place, and the winners of the Coppa Italia. AC Milan won their 17th scudetto; Roma impressed and were pushing for the title until the last few weeks of the season; Internazionale only made it to the Champions League ahead of Parma and Lazio on the last day thanks to Adriano, who had been signed from Parma earlier in the season; Lazio won the Coppa Italia against Juventus, handing Udinese the UEFA Cup spot; Ancona were relegated with only two wins, the joint lowest tally ever (Brescia Calcio's 12 points in Serie A 1994-95 is still the lowest ever); Empoli and Modena were also relegated; Perugia lost their play-off with Fiorentina, who returned to Serie A after a two-year absence. Ukrainian forward Andriy Shevchenko of Milan was the top scorer with 24 goals. The 2003-2004 league was the last professional season in the career of former European Footballer of the Year and Italian international Roberto Baggio, who finished among the tournament's top ten scorers with 12 goals, and among the all-time top five scorers, with 205 career goals. It was also the last Serie A season for Baggio's former teammate Giuseppe Signori, who then moved to the Greek Super League. Signori ended his career in Italy as the seventh highest scorer ever in Serie A. Rule changes Unlike La Liga, which imposed a quota on the number of non-EU players on each club, Serie A clubs could sign as many non-EU players as available on domestic transfer. But for the 2003–04 season a quota was imposed on each of the clubs limiting the number of non-EU, non-EFTA and non-Swiss players who may be signed from abroad each season, introduced in the 2002–03 season, which allowed Serie A & B clubs to sign only one non-EU player in the 2002 summer transfer window. Personnel and sponsoring Managerial changes * Ancona appointed Leonardo Menichini as successor to Luigi Simoni, but he was sacked in early September and replaced him by Nedo Sonetti. Sonetti lasted 15 games before being replaced by Giovanni Galeone. * Bologna sacked Francesco Guidolin before start of season and replaced by former Brescia Calcio boss Carlo Mazzone. * Brescia appointed Gianni De Biasi as manager before start of season, following the departure of Carlo Mazzone to Bologna. * Empoli appointed Daniele Baldini as successor to Silvio Baldini, but he was sacked in early October and replaced him with Attilio Perotti. * Internazionale sacked Héctor Cúper in October and replaced him by Alberto Zaccheroni. * Modena appointed Alberto Malesani as successor to Gianni De Biasi, but he was sacked in early March and he was replaced by Gianfranco Bellotto. * Reggina appointed Franco Colomba as the new manager during pre-season, but he was sacked in early November and replaced him by Giancarlo Camolese. Final classification Results Serie A qualification Perugia had to play a qualification match with 6th-placed team of Serie B, Fiorentina. |} A.C. Perugia relegated to Serie B, while ACF Fiorentina was promoted to Serie A. Leading scorers Season transfers *Summer transfer *Winter transfers *Co-ownerships *Co-ownerships II External links *Italian Wiki-version, with pictures and extra info *Season results, at RSSSF *Season squads, at FootballSquads.com 2003-2004 Italy 1